Sharp rise in over-65s dying from skin cancer

30th November 2010

Data collected by Cancer Research UK has found that the over-65s have triple the likelihood of dying from skin cancer than they did thirty years ago.

The research showed death rates for malignant melanoma in pensioners today were 11.4 deaths per 100,000 people, in comparison to 4 deaths in 1979. Caroline Cerny, campaign manager at Cancer Research UK said: "Skin cancer rates generally have dramatically increased in the last 30 years. During the 1970s package holidays to Spain, Greece and Portugal became increasingly popular. These short, sharp bursts of sun would have caused long-term damage to people's skin."